Valentine’s Day not our culture, avoid it: Pakistan President

Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain has urged the nation to refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day, while other officials blasted it as “vulgar and indecent” as they moved to outlaw festivities.

President Mamnoon Hussain has urged Pakistanis not to observe Valentine’s Day, the romantic holiday that hardline Muslim clerics want banned, while senior officials have issued statements and orders condemning the event.

People buy flowers to celebrate Valentine's Day in Islamabad, Pakistan. Celebrating Valentine's Day is considered un-Islamic in Pakistan, but many still buy flowers and exchange gifts with others at this time of year. (AP Photo)

“Valentine’s Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided,” the president told students at a gathering held to honour a nationalist leader on Friday. Hussain urged the students to focus on their studies instead.

In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state assembly, members passed a unanimous resolution to ban Valentine Day celebrations.

“A particular segment of our society wants to impose Western values and culture on our youth by celebrating Valentine’s Day,” said the resolution, which was presented by a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, a right wing political party that is allied to Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

“There is no place in our culture and in our civilisation for such an unnecessary and rude day, which aims to spread vulgarity and indecency amongst the youth,” it said.

The Quran Academy, based in Karachi, has launched a Facebook campaign “Say no to Valentines.” Its promoters said they hope to reach a figure of one million “likes” on the social networking site by Saturday.

A conservative Urdu language newspaper ran an industry-funded advertisement which termed the day “a festival of obscenity”.

“Just ponder...tomorrow our children will start celebrating Diwali of Hindus, Christmas of Christians, and who knows what other un-Islamic festivals, so let’s kick out this festival of obscenity from our lives for the sake of Allah,” the last lines of the advertisement said.

In Attock district, which borders Punjab and KP provinces, the district administration has issued a letter in which police are instructed to arrest anyone seen to be celebrating Valentines Day.

Despite the oppositions, sales of flowers, balloons and Valentine items have reached their peak. Shopkeepers have reported record sales. TV channels will be running special shows for Valentines Day, while restaurants and hotels have are offering special discounts to guests and patrons.